Letting Go of Balance

Tight rope walking requires a lot of balance. Gold medal winning gymnastic routines require balance. At what point did I decide that my life required balance. We throw that term around all the time. We always seem to be on the hunt for new ways to create “balance” in our lives.

When I think about the death defying acts and great athletic feats that truly need to use the word balance, I realize I don’t think I want any part of that. I want less stress and less chaos. I desire more joy and more peace. I don’t like the idea of being one wobbly step away from teetering off the edge.

Why is it that we’ve become so addicted to filling our lives with so many things that we really are just one wrong step away from being completely overwhelmed? Why not create so much margin in our lives that we don’t need to fear when storms or hard times come.

We learn about the wisdom of the wise man building his house upon the rock. Yet, I know I have a tendency to go so fast and hard that I forget to slow down enough and pray over all the things that I’m allowing in my family’s schedule. When I do this, I get completely thrown off balance when things pop up in our lives and get crazy.

Look, I have a lot going on in my life. I’m a mom. I homeschool my five kids. I run an online business. I say this because I want you to know that I really do have a lot going on. So, how do I create a no-need-for-balance life?

Ha! Wouldn’t it be nice if I had some amazing formula for you right now? I’m not going to leave you hanging. I am going to share a few secrets. But I need you to know this first . . .

We all have busy seasons in our lives. We all have a lot going on. There are times when we are going to feel like we are on the very edge of “losing it.” I do believe that God calls us all to step outside of our comfort zone and push ourselves. That’s really not what I’m talking about.

My over-arching goal for my family is not to live on the edge of sanity, but to have room for those God-ordained moments and opportunities that He brings into our lives. I am brutal when it comes to cutting things out of our schedule. I say “no” to as much as I can, so that when he brings a friend in need to our door step, we’re ready.

Sometimes things pop up when we already have a lot going on. That’s when I really stop to pray about what can wait. My husband is great at helping me figure out what is a “do now” and what is a “can wait.” You’d be surprised just how much can wait. I never really realized this clearly until my father-in-law passed away a year ago. We hunkered down as a family and mourned. I cut just about everything out of our schedules just to be. That’s what we needed for a season. Just to be. Just to sit. Just to cry.

We don’t need to do it all. Overcommitting is never fun and can put you into balance mode. It shouldn’t take a family tragedy for us to realize this.

So, my big advice? Chop! Chop! Cut back on busyness, so you have time for all that God is bringing into your life. It’s easier to say “yes” when He does.

About Kristi Clover

Kristi Clover is a Christian, homeschooling mom to five kids ranging from teens to tots and wife to her high school “crush.” Aside from her family (and chocolate), she’s passionate about encouraging women in their faith and inspiring them in their daily lives as moms, wives, and homeschoolers by offering “simple solutions for a more joy-filled life.”

Not surprisingly, you can usually find her at home trying to bring some order and fun into the mayhem of daily life. Kristi is a down-to-earth writer and an energetic speaker who loves to share about her adventures in marriage, motherhood, and homeschooling at KristiClover.com — and on her new podcast, the Simply Joyful Podcast!

Hey there! Thanks so much for stopping by our blog. We are absolutely thrilled you are here! We are a crazy church planting couple who loves Jesus, our four kids and loads of coffee! We are giving God the glory every step of the way and love sharing our journey with you.